Humanity
by WinterDrake
Summary: Bahamut watched over the world for eons alongside five others of his kind. Together, they witnessed the emergence and extinction of countless species. It is during the time of humanity that the world of Eos becomes threatened by the actions of the humans and even one of his own.
1. Chapter 1

_This story has been sitting in my drive for a few months. Not very happy how it ended up coming out but it is as finished as it's going to get so I'm just going to post it._

_This story was inspired by the FFXV comic of Bahamut and Gentiana in the FFXV Official Comic Anthology. I think it was called 'Snow' or something like that. I had a link to a user on Tumblr that translated it but it seems that their account is now gone. If I ever find a link to another translation of that specific comic, I will post it here._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Humans.

Strange creatures compared to the rest of those inhabiting Eos. They were one of the few intelligent beings but seemed unable to curb their baser instincts. They were violent and easily turned on their own kind. Even if it would be advantageous for their species, they seemed unwilling to work together in harmony. Humanity had the ability to think logically but their emotional instability interfered with that ability. They carried the potential to become something great if only they could overcome their flaws.

Bahamut observed them as he did the rest of Eos. Curious but unbothered by what these inferior beings did with themselves. They were part of Eos and the six Gods of the world, including Bahamut, were tasked with the responsibility of watching over it.

However, there one God was not content with merely observing.

Of the six Gods, it was the Infernian who intervened in the affairs of Men. He took pity on these frail, flawed creatures that fell to the harsh world around them. He admired their strength of will and endurance despite their unforgiving world.

Ifrit desired to help them. And so he granted the humans the power of his flames, allowing them to take control of their surroundings. To overcome the cold and even the darkest night.

Humanity was awed by the power shown to them by such a being. They began to worship the Infernian, begging for his attention and his blessings. Ifrit, in turn, was flattered by the love he received. He began to walk among the mortals and was made a King among them. He wished to lead them into a prosperous future.

Bahamut disapproved of the Infernian's actions. But it was too late to stop it. The Bladekeeper could only observe the outcome of the decision made. Maybe Ifrit's intervention could teach humans to overcome their flawed instincts. Maybe Humanity would reach their full potential under the guidance of a God. And maybe it would all be for naught and the humans would just tear themselves to pieces. Only time would tell now.

* * *

The humans learned much from Ifrit. They learned of the six Gods of the world, who eventually formally revealed themselves. The six Gods together were named the Hexathon. Humankind called them also Astrals and began to worship them as well. Ifrit was always a favourite among them.

Hundreds of years passed and the humans built beautiful cities and vast kingdoms. They held such a gift for creativity and ingenuity. The Bladekeeper had not planned to pay these creatures much heed but he could not deny that these creatures had some promise. They were rather interesting, despite their shortcomings. Some even began to show potential for magic. These humans became leaders among their kind.

Bahamut believed Ifrit was too close to the humans and stated as much. Unlike the Infernian, the rest of the Gods stayed rather distant from Humanity. They did not appear unless necessary. But Ifrit continued to stay in the midst of them as their King.

To the Bladekeeper, it seemed most of the 'love' given to Ifrit was only because of humanity's greed. Their worship was a means to ask more from him. When Ifrit had nothing left to give, what would the humans do?

The God of Fire did not heed the warnings given. He praised and defended the humans as he spoke with the Bladekeeper. And so the Infernian continued to do as he believed he should.

The God King began to learn from Humanity as they did from him. But what he learned was not fit for a being such as he. Ifrit was allowing his emotions to guide him, much like the humans he ruled. He was becoming as they were. Had Bahamut known how far the Infernian had fallen, he might have been able to prevent the disaster that was to come.

* * *

Unforseen.

Foolish humans. Foolish Ifrit. What have they brought upon our Star?

The Infernian, now no better than the humans, raged across Eos. Wild and savage, he attempted to destroy the beings that had betrayed him. The humans he had loved. The humans he had attempted to guide into a better future.

The humans who had tried to destroy their King in their lust for power. They took all they could from the God and then turned on their King when they no longer had any use for him.

As a higher being, Ifrit should have been above this. Above being controlled by his rage. But the humans had changed him. Their fickle emotions had corrupted the very being of the God of Fire until he, like them, no longer cared about the consequences of his actions.

Bahamut and the other four Gods were given no choice. Five of the Six battled the wrathful Infernian for the life of Eos. Their war split the land and caused untold destruction as they fought to protect the planet and even the very humans that had betrayed Ifrit so. And truly the blame lay not solely on the humans. Ifrit should have known better from the beginning. Betrayal was part of a human's nature and he should have never become so close to them and allowed them to change him so.

Ifrit's anger knew no bounds. He took vengeance on those who assaulted him but then began to destroy everything the humans had built. Even the humans that had no part in the betrayal were not safe from their former King. Nothing could stop the anger unleashed. To the rest of the God's shock, Ifrit summoned a meteor that would have caused destruction to most of the life on Eos.

The Archean stepped in then, using his immense strength to catch the meteor as it fell. Many shards rained across Eos however, forming craters wherever they landed.

The vengeful God was finally struck down after that. The Infernian had used up most of his powers in that last attack.

_Look at what you have become! Look what they have done to you! _Bahamut's words fell flat in the face of the former King of humans. The God of Fire was too enraged, too bitter to care any longer. All he wished was to destroy.

The Bladekeeper dealt the final blow, leaving the corpse of the fallen God to rest on a volcano.

* * *

Eos suffered in the aftermath of the battle. A new sickness, one of darkness, began to spread and corrupt the planet. The Gods had very little power left, using almost everything in their arduous battle.

The Gods could do naught but watch the sickness spread. This new threat, what had been dubbed the 'Starscourge' by the humans, confounded them. It was something that they, even with their divine powers, they could not purge in entirety. It corrupted those infected, turning them into monsters. For the first time in their long lives, the Astrals felt something akin to fear. An emotion that had once been unknown to them.

Bahamut sought guidance from the Crystal, the heart of Eos that should have stayed safe and protected from all. It should have never needed to be called upon. The Gods should have been enough to protect the word and the creatures that inhabited it but it seemed they were not.

The Crystal suffered too as the planet did, it's light dimmer than the last time the Bladekeepr had laid eyes upon it so many eons ago.

The Bladekeeper called upon the power of the Stone, seeking guidance.

* * *

The Crystal showed a path, but humans were needed for it to come to pass. One of them, born many years from now would be the one to finally cleanse the soul of the planet. Two bloodlines would be chosen to bear the burden of Eos's future.

_Why them? The humans? _Bahamut wanted to ask asked, but knew he would get no response. The Crystal was not sentient. It could only show what may come to pass. Some of the many possibilities. _Was this the only path left to them?_

Bahamut reluctantly deemed it was when he saw nothing else could be done without the humans. The Stone showed only disaster without their assistance.

For the first time in his existence, the Bladekeeper hesitated to do what he must.

The God did not wish to give the Crystal to humanity. The fickle creatures that had played a part in the disaster that had befallen the world. The Crystal was the life, the very soul of Eos. It was more important than anything else on the planet. And he was to give it to the _humans_?

But the Gods could no longer protect the Soul of Eos in their state. Whatever that cursed sickness was, even the Crystal would not be enough to stop it as it was now. The humans _needed_ it if the Starscourge was to be cleansed. The Soul had even show them succeeding.

The Bladekeeper had no choice in this. And… If that was the path shown then who was he to deny it? The Gods served the Crystal, and therefore the very planet itself.

Bahamut shook himself of his misgivings and headed towards the humans.

* * *

_Just need to edit the next part and it should be posted sometime soon-ish. I couldn't quite get Bahamut down as I was envisioning but this was the best I could write. _

_Thanks for reading! _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The Crystal was given to a specific family, one that had been born with magic. They were one of very few with such abilities. Bahamut had known of them for some time, even favored them because their magic was reminiscent of his own. The Izunia family had been part of the human nobility for several generations.

The Izunias swore to protect the Crystal from harm when the Bladekeeper appeared before them with his request. The Draconian revealed to them that the Crystal would appoint a King that would help drive back the darkness. He told them the successful endeavour he foresaw, showing them the same. The brief glimpses of the future became known as 'The Prophecy'. All would need to be patient until the time came.

The Bladekeeper waited then, as did the remaining Gods. They could not rest until the First King took the throne and began to forge the path to the desired future. The Astrals lay dormant until the time arose for the human needed to fulfill his destiny.

… But instead of the Crystal informing them of a King, they felt it shudder. The Gods were in agony for several moments, which dissipated and only left a feeling of wrongness inside their being.

The cursed plague had touched the Crystal.

* * *

A man's virtuous nature had ruined him. The elder son of the Izunias allowed himself to become corrupted in his methods of saving his people. He had not taken well to the Crystal's rejection, lashing out at those around him. His younger brother ended up striking him down, only to realize he could not be killed. The elder brother was then imprisoned on Angelguard, meant to stay there until the Darkness could finally be cleansed from the face of Eos.

Bahamut once again felt his misgivings rise up. Even their 'good' natures led humans to ruin.

The path still led to the desired outcome despite what had occurred. The younger brother would instead become King. His line would bear the burden of saving all of Eos. The last of them would be born, only to die for his people. He was meant to ascend beyond both humans and Gods to fulfill his duty.

The younger brother was dubbed Somnus Lucis Caelum, formerly Izunia. He was different from others of his kind. He was logical, someone who could see what needed to be done and would do it without hesitation. He had cut down the corrupted one, the one that could have been the first King, even though he was of his own blood.

The King still had those fickle human emotions but he did not succumb to them as others had done. He held the future in his mind at all times. Bahamut found himself approving of this human. He was the first human to forge a covenant with him and the rest of the Astrals. With their power, the Founder King of Lucis fought off the darkness during his reign.

The second to form a covenant with the Gods was a woman from another line with the potential for magic. She became the first Oracle. The Draconian, surprised to find himself impressed with her conviction to her people and even to them, offered her his trident. She fought alongside the Founder King and together they pushed the corruption of the Starscourge back. It was not destroyed but it would not return for some time.

Seeing these two humans fight with everything they had, Bahamut began to believe he may have been wrong about some humans. But as a whole, their species had a long way to redeem themselves before the God could truly trust them.

The five remaining Gods began their long slumber after that. So did Bahamut, but not completely. He could not. He decided to keep vigil over the humans. The Astral used the last of his powers to enter the realm inside the Crystal. He would not rest like the other Gods until salvation was reached. The Crystal was already partially corrupted, he would not allow it to fall further into darkness.

Inside the Crystal, Bahamut could still observe the world, though he could no longer interact with it until he regained his strength. He would be able to speak to those in the vicinity of the Crystal, though none but the Oracle or Lucis Caelums would be able to understand him.

From his new home, the Bladekeeper vowed not to tread the same path as Ifrit. He would not allow these humans to change him.

* * *

Years passed, yet human nature did not change. They showed time and time again how violence and betrayal were part of their very being. Wars and other such tragedies were commonplace. The souls of humanity passed by Bahamut on their way into the Beyond. Their lives were so short that it felt like a continuous stream.

The God could reach out and touch them to see what they had done in their fragile little lives. Sometimes he did and felt regret. The sheer strength of their _emotions, _good or bad, caused the Bladekeeper to flinch away.

The Astral could admit he did not understand them.

Outside the Crystal, the humans begged for the help of the Gods in every matter they could think of. Health, love, death, fortune, they begged for it all. And then they had the audacity to curse them when things did not go the way they wished. Humanity was so very arrogant, believing the Gods must bend to their whims. But Bahamut would not. He was here to guide the Caelum bloodline in their sacred duty. He had no need to interfere unless the Prophecy the Crystal revealed was threatened. Let the humans fight with one another as much as they wished. Let them destroy each other.

The Bladekeeper was not humanity's pet. He would not grow close to them. He would not end up like the Infernian.

* * *

Many more years passed as Bahamut waited.

Some humans were rather interesting, the Draconian could admit. They were so different. From each other and from the Gods. They held such individuality. Most were free to do as they wished, no duty governing their lives.

The Kings visited the Crystal on occasion. Some demanded power, some begged help, some pleaded for a different future. Bahamut had to remind a few of their duty. Could they not see that their sacrifices were needed? The entirety of Eos was at stake. Every creature, big or small. Human or beast. Divine or mortal. Those sacrifices made would be worth it in the end. But this seemed too difficult for some humans to comprehend. What did a few lives matter when the future was at stake?

Sometimes however, the Kings just wanted to speak. Bahamut indulged them at times, curiosity winning over his caution.

* * *

The Draconian could sense when the Accursed managed to free himself. A shudder ran through the Crystal. A sense of foreboding was felt by the five remaining Gods.

Though the Accursed was now free, it was also nearing time for the Chosen to arrive. The path remained viable, as shown by the Crystal. Though he could not see every action that led to it, he once again saw the Starscourge finally being cleansed.

Whatever happened now was up to the humans. The rest of the Gods still slumbered. Bahamut could only guide in his state.

And so Bahamut waited for the Chosen King to finally be born in this world.

* * *

_Sorry this took so long to update! I ended up not really liking this story but I went back to it and tried to finish it up as best I could._


End file.
